


The Fatherhood Chronicles - A Son, by any Other Name

by Aragarna



Series: The Fatherhood Chronicles [4]
Category: White Collar
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Family, Fluff and Angst, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-17
Updated: 2015-01-17
Packaged: 2018-03-07 21:25:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 668
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3183704
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aragarna/pseuds/Aragarna
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>tag to 6x06. For Peter it never was about taking down the Panthers, it was about giving Neal is freedom.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Fatherhood Chronicles - A Son, by any Other Name

**Author's Note:**

> Continuation of Peter's journey through fatherhood. Thanks to [](http://kanarek13.livejournal.com/profile)[kanarek13](http://kanarek13.livejournal.com/) for continuing to hold my hand.

 

  
  
Peter hangs up the phone and sighs.

Why can’t they just let it go? He won’t accept any promotion. It just doesn’t feel right. They took down the Pink Panthers, one of the most notorious gang of thieves in the world. They’re celebrated like heroes around all the divisions at the FBI. Peter accepts the handshakes and friendly accolades, but his smile is crackled. His heart isn’t at it. Because for him, it never was about the Panthers. It was about giving Neal his freedom. Setting him free, and giving him a well-earned second shot at life. But Neal didn’t get any of it. Neal is gone.

He keeps receiving phone calls from the White Collar division in DC. They’re trying to lure half of his team. Diana accepted a position. Which is fine, she deserved it, and she’ll be closer to her family. But Peter can’t help feeling a tiny heartache. It really feels like the end of something. At least Jones is staying. Now that Peter is stepping back from the field, Jones is becoming the real driving force of the division and, to Peter’s satisfaction, he’s been doing a great job so far.

With Jones, the team is in good hands, and Peter doesn’t worry much when his alarm reminds him he has to go home. With everything that happened, it has been easier that Peter thought it would be, to change his work habits. These days, Peter’s main source of happiness is his family and its promises of a future still to be built.

A second shot.

 

\--------------------------------------------------

  
The baby isn’t even born, and yet he is already bringing his share of wonder and joy into his parent’s world.

One night, Peter is brutally awakened by El shaking his shoulder. Worried, he turns around in the bed to face her.

“What’s wrong?”

“He kicked!”

Peter tries to shake the fog of his half asleep brain. “What?”

“The baby, he kicked,” Elizabeth repeats. This time, Peter catches the delight in her voice, and he eases a sigh of relief.

He cuddles around her and she grabs his hand to put it on her round belly.

“I don’t feel anything,” Peter whispers.

“Be patient.”

“Maybe he went back to sleep,” Peter suggests.

Just when he’s about to withdraw his hand, Peter suddenly feels it. A light kick. It’s not much, barely noticeable, but Peter feels overwhelmed by a tender joy. The baby is right there, so close. Out of sight, but alive.

“How does it feel?” Peter asks Elizabeth.

“It’s a little weird, having something inside, that you don’t see, but you can feel moving. Kind of like _Alien_.”

Peter chuckles and caresses Elizabeth’s belly.

“It’s also a little magical,” she adds.

They remain entangled together. As he thinks about the future, a thought crosses Peter’s mind. It’s furtive, uncertain. He’s not sure it’s a good idea. But somehow, it appeases something inside of him.

“Hon,” he says, tentative, “what if we changed the name of the baby?”

Elizabeth turns around to face him. He can read in the concern of her beautiful eyes that she has understood.

“You really think it’s a good idea?”

“I don’t know.” He’s not sure. But now that the thought has formed, he can’t get rid of it.

“It’ll be his name his entire life. From his birth, like in twenty years.”

“Yes.”

Elizabeth remains silent for a while. “You’ll have to promise me you won’t try and see Neal in him. This child has nothing to do with him. He’s you and me. Not a friend he never knew.”

Peter swallows the lump in his throat. “I know,” he says in a low voice. “I promise.”

He wants to explain, but he’s not sure he understands himself. He never really considered Neal his son. Not _really_. Yet, it _feels_ right. Neal will continue to live with them, through their little boy, and Peter will give him the life Neal never had.

And this time he won’t fail.

 

 

To be Continued....

   



End file.
